One of the most comfortable Lipsticks you will ever use...

I have tried quite an array of lipsticks in my time and although I have found some real gems, I have also found some crashing disappointments.

I love a great lipstick but I also hate a high maintenance product. Anything that requires a touch up every seven minutes or is so slippery I am permanently paranoid that it is on my teeth and chin or is so drying that I feel like I am walking round with dry, crusty prunes on my face- is not a winner in my books.

The Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick in Fuchsia in Rage is the first YSL lipstick I have tried and I am not going to lie I was pretty taken aback by it.

It is so smooth and creamy, making it by far the most lip balm like lippie I own.
It applies smoothly as hell- comfort is it's number one sell, but then I automatically assumed that this is going to be one of those products that drives me up the bloody wall with paranoia...but no.

It didn't bleed, it didn't smear, it held its own against a latte and actually left a stain behind. 

From the swatch below you can see that it is quite sheer:

However it  builds up incredibly easily to a gorgeous punchy colour that just perks up the complexion no end. I pair it with thick, black lashes and that's about it. It makes me look and feel awake whilst adding moisture to my lips- which is especially great if they are dry and chapped. It's probably the only lipstick I can wear regardless of my lip state.

Pigment is on point and even after building up, it still stays put.

I know this is a pricey lipstick but I will undoubtedly pick up more, this is one of the products in my stash where I hands down believe you get what you pay for. I don't even really understand how something can feel so buttery and glossy on the lips whilst being long lasting..

Have any of you tried this? Any shade recommendations?

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Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Beau Brun : Swatches and Review

If you have seen this post you will know that I love these little liquid lipsticks.

This is my 6th and probably not my last...

The formula is smooth, easy to apply, comfortable and long wearing. Honestly I think they perform just as well as some other liquid lipsticks that are three times the price.

I have the shade Grand Cru and that was a major disappointment and definitely the odd one out as the others are great...so I was hoping this had the same consistency as the other 4...

I am so glad to say that it does!

Beau Brun somehow manages to surpass the others and the application is even easier and long lasting. 

What drew me to this one was the shade...it is so hard to describe...sometimes it's a brown 90s shade but then its orange and red at the same time...it's incredibly unique and if you have any idea what I should call this shade please let me know! 

I'll let the swatches do the talking :

There's also some pink in there...god knows what this shade is, but it is now my favourite of my little Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet stash.

Do you have a favorite shade?...I'm kinda feeling like I need to own the entire collection...recommendations are so, so welcome 

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Too Faced Melted Lipsticks : Swatches and Review

Liquid Lipsticks seem to be all the rage now....so many brands are coming up with their own versions...some good...some atrocious...

I am glad to say that the Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipsticks are the former.

These lipsticks have a sweet (but not overpowering) scent, which is always a plus and they are incredibly pigmented.

The swatches below are literally from one swipe which I find very pleasing as I don't tend to see the point in a liquid lipstick that is lacking in pigmentation as I think it then falls out of the LL category and into the realm of lip glosses. 

If you are familiar with the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors, then you will already have had experience with this type of applicator.

The applicator is a sort of foamy/felt nib which (when the tube is pressed), slowly dispenses the product- as you can see above.

For me, I quite enjoy this application but I can understand that some point might find this a little clumsy.

As I mentioned, these are highly pigmented, so these need to be applied carefully and due to the large tip, if you don't have a steady hand/often struggle with applying lip products neatly, it may take a few attempts to get this right.

Alternatively you can use a lip brush, which I haven't tried yet but although I can be pretty cack handed, I don't normally mess these up.

The two shades I have are Melted Fig and Melted Coral. 

L-R: Melted Fig and Melted Coral 

These were the two colours that I really had my eye on.

Melted Fig was my obsession in the colder months but I should really bring it out again and yes it is another mauvy purple with a satin/semi glossy finish.

I really don't find these drying at all and I think that's down to their satin finish, I feel it is those ultra matte liquid lipsticks that are the main culprits in turning normal pillowy lips into something that resembles a dried prune. 

There's just something unique about melted fig, I really love it.

It looks great with very clean skin, a slight contour, a subtle rosey/nude blush (think Nars Douceur) and a naked eye with loads of mascara. 

It looks so modern, i'm definitely going to crack this out again.

Melted Fig 

 Please excuse this really messy Lip Swatch, but it just gives you some idea what this looks like on. 

Melted Coral was my first purchase but for reasons unknown I haven't actually worn this a whole lot, even though I became obsessed with finding it, I will also amend this. 

This is a very vibrant creamy coral with a semi glossy/satin finish. 

Melted Coral

This is my favorite kind of coral, it's so clean and summery.

Again pigmentation is on point.

Another thing I really like is how they last, I can't stand it when lipsticks fade from the inside out...so you're left with that awkward unflattering ring around your mouth, I don't have that problem with these.
The one thing I would say about Melted Coral though is not to layer up too much- you don't need to anyway because it's so pigmented, but if I do apply that little bit too much it wont sit properly on the lips and it can gather around the inside of my bottom lip. 

Bottom Line : This is a non drying, highly pigmented and long lasting liquid lipstick.

I think Too Faced have really lived up to their claims here!

They are not transfer proof- I do end up getting this on my coffee mug, but saying that it's never messy- I don't end up with bright orange on my chin, awkward patchiness or end up having to reapply every time I take a sip.

The colour will hold up on your lips, but transfer does happen.

I have had both of these for about 6 months and I would say that so far they are fine, but one thing I am slightly concerned about is that perhaps after some time the lipstick might dry on the nib and I could imagine getting a little crusty or perhaps unhygienic.
I haven't read anything online to justify my suspicion, but we will see!
They have released several new shades recently and I reckon I will pick up Melted Chihuahua- a hideous name and one that I don't really understand but its a peachy brown that looks pretty unique...much like its name. 

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Laura Mercier Paint Wash Liquid Lip Colour in Fuchsia Mauve

This is a new release from Laura Mercier, it is described as a intense, creamy colorful liquid demi-matte lipstick.

This liquid lipstick comes in 10 shades but this shade Fuchsia Mauve just totally stood out to me, it is a purple based fuchsia. It is STUNNING. 

I would quite like to get my hands on Petal Pink which is a lovely everyday pink, but I thought I would start off with one to see how I liked the formula. 

I really like this, but I wouldn't say its perfect...

The pros- the colour selection is great, it is very comfortable to wear- it is never drying and the pigmentation is out of this world.

This is literally one swipe. No building up required, it is full on pigment from the get go. 

It is easy to apply and I really like the applicator, in a way  it reminds me a little bit of the Urban Decay concealer- it holds a nice amount of product and the wand is fairly flexible.

It is really quite easy to apply as well- there really are a lot of positives about this lipstick.

The negatives I have found is that it can get on my teeth, when I apply it I do layer it up slightly just so I feel like its neat, so maybe I am putting too much on, but it is quite slidey so it does transfer onto my teeth. 

After it has settled down a bit after 10-15 mins, I'm generally okay, but I do have to do the whole 'finger in the mouth' trick several times to make sure I wipe it off the inside of my lips.

I think the issues I have do generally subside after about 15 mins, but I would just suggest being careful.

I wouldn't recommend quickly putting this on say, straight before a meeting, in case you're left a little messy...give it time to settle.

It can pool a bit around the corners of my mouth so I do use a cotton bud to dab off any excess- just be careful of these things, but again I may just be using to much. 

I would suggest a lip liner (Urban Decay Venom works nicely) as the first time I wore it I noticed a little bit of bleeding...but weirdly not the second or third time..

This is demi-matte so it does retain a little bit of sheen, I reckon the lighter shades would be a lot easier to use, its always trickier going for a darker colour that's not totally matte.

Also note that this does transfer if you drink a coffee. 

It's not going to end up all over your face, but you might need a touch up or get a clean mug.  

  Honestly I am not bashing this product- I am so glad I have it, it is comfortable and the colour is gorgeous, but I have to let you know all the pros and cons so you are well informed in case you were thinking about picking one up! 

Once it has had time to settle on your lips, it does become a lot less high maintenance, but I wouldn't grab this last minute if I was in a hurry.

It lasts very well and is definitely up there with some of the comfiest liquid lipsticks I have ever tried and it is really nice to add a demi-matte LL to my collection. 

I will one hundred percent pick up the pink shade, I think it will be less problematic due to it being a lighter colour.  

Have any of you tried the Laura Mercier new liquid lipsticks?

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Mac Soar Lip Liner and Mehr Lipstick : Swatch and Review

These two items seem to be forever out of stock, I knew they were so hard to come by that to be honest...I wasn't that bothered by them.

I have my Charlotte Tilbury lip liner in 'Pillow Talk' so I wasn't super bothered about tracking Soar down, but something just happened to me in the shop the other day....

I was mooching round Mac in London St Pancras, I saw it on the shelf and literally grabbed it before anyone else had the chance.

I felt like I had achieved something by grabbing one of the few remaining that I thought it was fair to treat myself to Mehr. I saw Lily Pebbles wear it in this video and it looks gorgeous on her- and Soar and Mehr are meant to be friends, and to be honest that is enough justification for me to buy both.

All the hype aside- I am really enjoying these two products! Both are very natural and both are matte- I don't think I really own any colour like this in a matte formulation, so they are both getting a lot of wear. 

Lets start with Soar.

On the Mac website this colour is described as a 'mid tone pinkish brown' so it does fit into that 'your lips but better' thing and yes, if you do want to slightly over line your lips- you really can do that with this.

The colour is lovely and I think it looks great all over the lips.

Due to it being matte- it is long lasting and obviously creates a more realistic overdraw as glossy products highlight where your lips end.

This reminds me a lot of Bobbi Browns Art stick in Rose Brown - I feel if you have one you don't necessarily need the other- which is useful as Rose Brown is generally easier to find than Soar.

I do have both. but I also have hoarder problems, so we will move on. 

Here is Soar all over the lips:

I really like this. Do I like it more than my CT Pillow Talk? No, I don't think so...but my love affair with PT has been going on for nearly a year so it's tough competition!

But yes, a lovely lip liner, and I will get a lot of use out of this. 

Onto Mehr.

Look how pretty!
In this picture I am only wearing Mehr, a 'dirty blue pink' a matte lipstick that looks lovely with or without Soar. It is lighter without the lip liner and would make a brilliant everyday lipstick.

Even though it's matte, its not particularly drying and it has great wear time. 

I am happy I have this. 

Here are the swatches side by side to give you some idea of difference:

L- R: Mehr and Soar

You can see that Soar is browner.
I think if you can get your hands on these-check them out!
I reckon most people will get a lot of use out of them.
If you can't, I wouldn't worry too much, I can see some similiarities in my stash- the ones that come to mind are CT Pillow Talk, Rimmel East End Snob, Bobbi Brow Rose Brown.
When in Mac I thought the lipstick in 'Brave' was quite similar too.

Here is Soar all over the lips with Mehr on top:

Bottom Line : These two products are long lasting and very day time appropriate.

I love that I can apply them and not be super paranoid that it's wearing off or is all over my teeth. 

Have you tried either one of these products?

Soar has really added to my (almost getting out of hand) lip liner addiction....would anyone like to see a post on my favorite liners?

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New Lipstick Love

Here we have Charlotte Tiburys Matte Revolution Lipstick in Sexy Sienna.

This is my third matte lipstick from CT, and a very welcome addition. The other two are dark and vampy, so I thought it was about time I picked up this coral summery shade as it's warming up in the UK.

CT describes this shade as a 'Golden Coral'. Its a warm, peachy/orange based coral and it's just effortless. The colour is by no means loud and it wont overwhelm your face. It looks fresh and girly paired with mascara and a pinky/coral cheek, but it looks modern and cool when worn with a wet look chocolate eye. 

When I look at the bullet, I think I can see some small flecks of gold- but trust me, that doesn't translate on the lips.

If you are looking to invest in a matte lipstick, please make it from this range.

They are so comfortable. This is in no way that heavy, Mac matte formula that really drains your lips of moisture.

It feels quite balm like when it goes on, it applies evenly and feels creamy, but it doesn't slide around. You can apply with reckless abandon but rest assured that it's not going to smear all over your face or end up on your teeth. It's also coffee proof. Which is another huge thumbs up from me.

I can wear this all day, top up if needed (they do have a good wear time) but its not like when you top up a matte where its gone all dry and crusty and by applying on top you're left with awkward flaking.

Nope. Its like applying a lip balm, over a lip balm.

Bottom Line: This is my favorite lipstick of the moment. A beautiful, warm, flattering colour, great wear time and it feels very comfortable. Don't get me wrong though, I love Mac mattes, but I feel they can be quite a commitment if you plan on wearing them for a full day, as by the end, I am desperate to bathe my lips in as much moisture as possible.

You just don't have to worry about that here.

There are 10 lipsticks in the range. 3 down, 7 to go.

Sexy Sienna costs £23, you can find it here

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Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets. The Good and the Bad.

I know these liquid lipsticks have been out for a while, but as I use them so regularly, I wanted to vocalise my thoughts on them.

The shade range is lovely, there are brights and bolds, but they have also more recently introduced some more muted nude colours, so there is a good little selection for everyone.

I'm sure you know the deal now, they are a liquid lipstick that applies smoothly on the lips and then after a minute or so, it dries down to a matte, velvet finish.

I love all of mine, bar one. I will come to the dissapointing one, but for the most part I really do enjoy these.

I can envisage myself buying more and to be honest, even though they are more affordable, that's not my reason for buying. They are good lipsticks regardless of the price.

I wouldn't call them one swipe wonders, you have to go over a few times to get a more even coverage, but who cares?

No I don't think they are as good as say, the Giorgio Armani Lip Maestros (Which I can do a review on if you're interested) but once you have got your even coverage, they wear beautifully and they aren't super drying.

They are a matte formula, so I would be lying if I said they were moisturising, but they are comfortable and in no way sticky.

Here are the swatches:

L-R: Peach Club, So Hap'pink, Hot Pepper, Pink Pong and Grand Cru

Spot that mess on the end! The first four are gorgeous, I think Peach Club might be my favourite, but just look at them.

Lovely, even swatches.

Now onto the disappointment. Here's a close up:

What even is that??

The mess on the end is Grand Cru.

I genuinely tried so hard to get a decent swatch for you, but its basically impossible. I removed it several times, and those two smudges are all I could get.

Isn't it such a fail, especially when you see it next to Pink Pong.

Honestly people, please don't waste your money on this shade. I'm sorry if you have it, and you love it, but for me, it's patchy, lumpy and totally awkward to apply. In the lip swatches it took me an age to get a somewhat even cover, and trust me, it looked so much worse in real life.

To be honest, now I have this post up, I might bin it...it doesn't work at all for me, and I really can't see my friends enjoying it.

If it works for you, great, but I don't have time to spend hours applying one lipstick.

Also, I'm not the only one who has had this problem...I've read a lot of other reviews where people have said it was patchy on them. Such a shame as its a lovely dark red.

Peach Club

So Hap'pink

Hot Pepper

Pink Pong

Grand Cru

 Bottom Line: These are a great liquid lipstick formula, they are easy to wear, easy to layer and build up, plus they don't fall off your lips the moment you have a cup of coffee.

I get so many compliments when I wear Pink Pong, its such a beautiful shade and looks great when paired with a flawless base, mascara and nothing else.

Please don't go there with Grand Cru....look how patchy it is when swatched and when on the lips.

Just not worth it.

They come in 12 shades, and are available at Boots for £8.99.

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Nars Audacious Lipsticks

L-R: Anita, Lana and Barbara

These are a fairly new release for Nars, and the first lip product of theirs I have tried. 

I know this is such a bold statement, but these are some of my favourite lipsticks of all time and I really one hundred percent recommend them. 

At least give them a swatch. 

I believe there are 30 shades (which is mind boggling) but I think I want at least 25....I currently have 3...

If you want nudes/peaches/pinks/brights/darks/vampy/girly, you WILL find one here. 

Today I will be showing you my three loves: Barbara, Anita and Lana. 

Lets start off with the formula.

They are a dream to apply. Due to their great pigmentation, they are literally one swipe wonders. 

The formula is creamy, with enough slip to create an even coverage, but they don't slide around all over your face and leave you paranoid that you have lipstick crawling up your face towards your eyebrows. 

I would describe the finish as Satin...at least my three anyway, but I assume there are more matte/more sheeny lipsticks in the range.

They stay put. 

This is a big thing for me as I always end up with the awkward wearing away thing where I am left with a rim of lipstick around my mouth, but nothing on the inside..it drives me up the wall and it looks awful. 

Not with these. I honesty can't rate this formula high enough. 

On to the swatches:

This is Barbara (my first purchase)

It is described as a 'Tan Rose' which I think is pretty fair. 

 This is a great one to add to your collection as it pairs well with a smokey eye, but as its muted (but not deadening) that you can wear it during the day.

A good nude to have that I would imagine would suit most. If you very porcelain though, I would recommend swatching before you buy as it is on the darker side of nude, which isn't always the most flattering. 

Anita : An 'Antique Rose'. Probably my favorite. A suit all you can wear day and night. 

Both Barbara and Anita work super well with Charlotte Tilburys 'Pillowtalk' liner and also Rimmels 'East End Snob'

Lana: 'Vivid Orange Red'

This colour speaks for itself. This is such an uplifting shade, it is bright and awakening but not garish.

Your skin will look brighter, and teeth whiter...kinda a win win. 

(Looks perfect with Estee Lauder double wear lip liner in 'Coral' - thank you Sali Hughes for that)

Here are the swatches side by side- you can see the differences more clearly when Barbara and Anita are next to each other:

L-R : Barbara, Anita and Lana. 

The Bottom Line: If you are a lipstick lover- add this to your list. You will love the formula.

If you are new to lipstick and you are starting to build your stash- there are enough safer, more muted shades to pick from, and if you are looking to splurge on one high end lipstick, choose these.

Next on my list: Anna, Jane, Juliette...Vera...Audrey...

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